Daily Inspiration: Meet Krista Droege

Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Droege. 

Hi Krista, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
About 13 years ago, my daughter attended a music school where she took piano, vocal, and drum lessons as well as a group performance. Her drum instructor, a lifelong musician, Joe Leone, also worked as the Music Director for that franchise. The franchise was sold, and Joe & I talked about “if we had a school, we’d do this, or that”… Long story short, 2 years later, we opened Rock & Roll Prep School, then in Macomb Twp. We opened the school offering lessons in drums, vocals, guitar, bass, and piano as well as a Full Program where students rehearse 3 hrs. a week for 4 months that concludes with a live performance at a local music venue. During the 3-month Covid lockdown we had to pivot to virtual lessons. When we returned in person, we were given notice that the building we had been in for 8 years was sold, and we had 30 days to move. After a long search and build-out, we reopened in May of 2021 with a new music production program and recording studio, along with a new business partner, Scott Posada. Scott was a student at the original music school where Joe and I met 13 years ago. From there, Scott when on to study and receive his music degree from Berklee College of Music. He returned from school and worked at Rock & Roll Prep School as a guitar and bass teacher. He cultivated the production/recording program and studio for our new space. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Over 10 years we have faced many different challenges, with the biggest one being Covid. We were fortunate enough to pivot from face-to-face private lessons to virtual lessons pretty seamlessly. We credit both our teachers and students for that smooth transition. Learning to roll with change and unexpected situations has definitely made the road smoother to navigate. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have been self-employed for almost 25 years. I worked as a freelance makeup artist for 15 years before opening Rock & Roll Prep School. My music background comes from growing up in a house with musicians. My father was a jazz drummer, and brother a “rock” drummer. Being the youngest of 5, I was exposed to every genre of music, from Billie Holiday to Eminem. My love and (sometimes useless) knowledge of bands, songs, & lyrics runs deep. Although I never successfully learned to play an instrument, my skills in our business are more professional. I handle the day-to-day business responsibilities, social media, networking, and marketing. I guess what I’m “known for and proud of” is the relationships I build with students and their parents. We are being trusted with people’s children, and we want nothing more than for each parent to feel 100% comfortable leaving them with us every week. So strong personal relationships are very important, and I take that very seriously. 

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Some of the most important lessons we’ve learned is to try to adapt to change, take your time to hire the right people, and not just fill the positions and hire professionals to take care of business aspects that you are not qualified for. 

Pricing:

• 45 Minute Weekly Private Lesson $185 per month
• 30 Minute Weekly Private Lesson $155 per month (ages 7 and younger)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rockandrollprepschool.com
• Instagram: @rockandrollprepschool
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/rockandrollprepschool
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT3mDPYkBAvyhD9hBWttkJg/featured

Image Credits
Scott Legato